Italy: Mediaset expands DTT presence

Italian commercial broadcaster Mediaset has reached an agreement with Television Broadcasting System (TBS) to acquire capacity on the Alpha national DTT multiplex.

The news has been reported by daily Il Sole 24 Ore and the deal is said to be worth not less than €10 million.

Mediaset will get three channels on the multiplex – 20 (currently used by Retecapri), 120 (Retecapri +1) and 520 (Retecapri HD). It is currently unclear what Mediaset plans to do with the newly-acquired DTT capacity.

After the deal is completed, TBS will remain with channels 66, 149 and 247 on the multiplex.

TBS had been in financial problems for some time – last year the local press reported of the start of liquidation proceedings due to a debt of over €20 million.

Last month, TBS reached an agreement with Sony Pictures Television Networks to sell capacity on the same Alpha multiplex – channels 45 (currently used by NekoTV) and 55 (Capri Gourmet).